IMPENETRABLE
by i.am.lily.evans
Summary: Lily Evans, a redhead, an emerald green eyed beauty wasn't what everybody thought. She wouldn't let any one know her from the heart. So what happens when James Potter arrives? Why can't she stop him from entering her heart?
1. Complex

Disclaimer: I own nothing of J

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of J.K. Rowling**

**Author's Note: I have gotten a beta reader, LilyGinnyWrites, who is helping me out a lot! Thanks so much! 3**

**Prologue:**

She was an interesting person, a redheaded beauty with emerald green eyes. It was easy to be her friend. It was easy to like her, to love her.

Did anyone know that what she seemed on the outside wasn't what she really was on the inside? That every word she said, every comment she made, wasn't what she was really thinking?

No.

Did anyone know that she was a really good actress, capable of hiding every shred of her real self behind a mask of uncomplication?

No.

Did anyone know the secrets that she hid?

No.

It wasn't easy to know her. It wasn't easy to be her.

This is her story, or my story, rather. The story of Lily Evans.

**Reviews are welcome!**


	2. Professor Albus Dumbledore

Disclaimer: I own nothing of J

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of JKR.Authors Note: Please, please review!!**

A/N: I kept some parts of what really happened in the Harry Potter series, but most of it is made up by myself.

**Chapter 2:** Hogwarts Train

She gasped. It had come.

"UNBE-LIEVABLE! Mum, Severus was right! See Tuney, he was right! He was right! The letter came! I'm going to Hogwarts! I'm going to learn to be a witch!" Lily Evans, a red headed, emerald green eyed beauty, jumped up and down. Her eyes, the only part of her body that could give her away, sparkled with excitement at the thought of going to a place that was meant for her.

"Merlin's sake! Lily, what is this letter all about? And don't jump around so much; we don't want the neighbor's hearing you! Besides, your father and I haven't decided whether to let you go or not." Amelia Evans spoke, full of composure and grace.

"Mummy's right, Lily. We wouldn't want you to go learn at a _freak_ school." Petunia, a bony blond, spat and turned on her heel. She flounced off upstairs, shaking with anger.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Immediately, Lily stopped jumping, smoothened her hair, and daintily walked to the door. She opened it slowly, letting the caller get a full glimpse of her home. Suddenly, Lily let out an involuntary gasp.

She covered it quickly, and regained her composure. "Good afternoon sir, how are you today?"

The newcomer spoke, peering at her through his half-moon shaped glasses. "I am feeling quite energetic today! You must be Ms. Lily Evans, are you not? I must speak with your mother about your enrollment into Hogwarts. Oh, and forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Professor Albus Dumbledore, your headmaster at Hogwarts."

"Please do come in Professor!" Lily excitedly spoke. "Mum, we have a visitor, Professor Albus Dumbledore from Hogwarts."

Amelia came quickly through the kitchen. She greeted him stiffly. "Hello, Professor."

Professor Dumbledore greeted Amelia back, and sat in an armchair in the sitting area. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Evans. I am here today to come and take Lily Evans today to Diagon Alley, a place where she may get all her school supplies and --"

"There won't be any need for that, I'll get it. No need to have you worry!" Mrs. Evans cut in, smiling.

"I understand, but as it is, only wizards and witches can go to Diagon Alley. Seeing your family is neither, I would like to take her to Diagon Alley and then have her stay at the Leaky Cauldron, an inn, for the rest of the summer until September 1st, where she will board the train on Hogwarts Express."

Mrs. Evans smiled a bit stiffly, and smoothened her blond hair out. "I see. Does she need to take anything with her? A trunk, or clothes perhaps?"

"Yes, a trunk shall be needed. Also, Lily," Professor Dumbledore addressed Lily, as she rose to get the things needed. "Proper nightclothes, and perhaps a week or two worths of day clothing. You see, I don't think you shall want to be in school robes the whole time at Hogwarts."

"Right away sir." Lily started to go upstairs. Suddenly, she stopped and turned. "Er-Professor? The packing may take a while. Is there any way that your wand, if you don't mind, could pack it quicker?"

"Of course, of course." Professor Dumbledore rose with Mrs. Evans, and followed Lily upstairs.

Suddenly brighter, Lily dashed around her room, picking out clothes and proper nightclothes, as her mother and Professor stood outside her door. After five minutes, Lily had all the clothes that looked nice on her, jewelry to go with it, and the trunk spilled out on the bed. She shyly went outside.

"Professor, I'm ready. My room's a bit messy though, sorry about that."

Professor Albus Dumbledore stepped inside Lily's room and smiled. He pointed his wand at the clothes and jewelry lying about, and clearly said, "Pack!"

The clothes and jewelry immediately arranged themselves in order and dropped themselves into the trunk. The trunk then quickly shut and bolted itself. Professor Dumbledore then used a Hover Charm to bring the trunk downstairs by the main door.

"Wow," Lily breathed. "I love magic."

All three of them hurried downstairs to the main door to say their goodbyes. Lily hugged her mother, and Professor Dumbledore lightly kissed Mrs. Evans' right hand.

"We'd better be off now, Lily." Professor Dumbledore said.

"Er-right. G'bye now, Mum. I'll come home during our Christmas break!" Lily exclaimed, picking up her trunk.

"Now Lily, behave yourself there!" Mrs. Evans called out as she watched the Professor and Lily walk down the street.

"... if you could just grab tightly onto my arm now, Lily. You are going to go to London by Side-Along Apparition. It's a bit uncomfortable at first, but you'll get used to it." Professor Dumbledore said kindly, and Lily immediately clasped his arm, clutching the trunk at the same time. He turned left on his foot, and suddenly Lily couldn't breathe. She felt as if she were becoming two-dimensional, pressing through a thick rubber tube.

As soon as it had started, the Side-Along Apparition ended, and they were in Diagon Alley.

"How was it? Like being squeezed through a rubber tube?" Professor Dumbledore smiled through his spectacles.

"Exactly like that! The currency in the wizarding world is Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts right? Mum got me some to buy my supplies. She said that she exchanged them somewhere ..." Lily bounced up and down excitedly.

"Right you are. Now Lily, I must leave now, so try your luck at asking people where to go. It'll help you get to know some people and make some friends."

"Alright, Professor. I'll see you in Hogwarts!" Lily waved her good-bye and started off in the other direction, towards Madame Malkin's Robes For All Occasions.

As she entered the robe shop, a plump woman wearing green robes immediately hurried over with her wand in hand. "Hello dear, I'm Madame Malkin. You must be new? I'll get you sized up and your robes for your first year at Hogwarts in no time!"

Lily smiled, her eyes twinkling. "Yes, thank you."

Within a few minutes, Madame Malkin had Lily's robes ready. Lily paid her seven Sickles to her and put the new robes in her trunk. She began to make her way down Diagon Alley toOllivander's, Makers of Magic Wands since 382 BC, when she was rudely shoulder-bumped by a green robed fifth-year.

"Oops, I'm sorry." Lily immediately said, and suddenly backed up a couple of steps. The long blond haired boy with the green robes smirked.

"Watch where your going, you little filthy Mudblood. Don't touch me again!" The boy whipped out his wand and sent Lily skidding back down the road with her trunk. Lily watched him stalk off towards Knockturn Alley.

"Alright there?" A woman accompanied by her daughter helped Lily get up. "This is my daughter, Alice Prewett. She'll be starting her first year at Hogwarts. Do you have all your supplies?"

"I'm Lily Evans, and I don't come from a wizard family. I'm muggleborn, you see. I'll also be started my first year at Hogwarts!" Lily smiled at Alice and went on. "I still have to get all my textbooks. There are so many places to go!"

Alice suddenly thrust all her textbooks in Lily's arms. "Here, take these. We have to get some other items anyway."

"No, no- I couldn't. Their your textbooks! And you paid for them." Lily blushed. She hated to be in debt.

"That's quite all right, Lily. Think of it as a gift to you! From the Prewett's." Alice's mother insisted.

"Thanks, Mrs. Prewett and Alice. Thank you both so much!" Lily exclaimed. She put the textbooks into her trunk.

"Oh, anytime, m'dear. We'll be off now!" Mrs. Prewett trotted off to Madame Malkin's, and Lily opened the door to Ollivander's.

"You must be Lily Evans." A short, old man spoke.

"Yes, I am. I believe this is the place for wands?" Lily asked, a bit frightened by Ollivander.

"It most certainly is, and try these wands to your right. Keep trying until I tell you to stop, alright?" Ollivander sat in his chair watching Lily try out the wands.

After about fifteen minutes of waving many wands about, Lily heard, "Stop. This is the wand that was made for you."

"This one?" Lily asked. It was a willow, 10 1/4" and swishy .. supposedly good for charm work.

"This one exactly. That'll be 5 Galleons, please." Ollivander nodded as Lily handed him the money. As she headed out, he called out. "Take good care of your wand, Ms. Evans!"

Once out of the shop, Lily turned the corner to the Leaky Cauldron. Once there, she asked for Tom, who then showed the way to her room. Tired after a long day, Lily fell asleep on her comfortable bed.

... and then, Professor Dumbledore smiled, watching Lily turn the corner in the sunset.

**A/N: Review .. please? Cookies to anyone who guesses who the blond, green-robed boy was..**


	3. Flashback To The Real World

Disclaimer: I own nothing of J

**Disclaimer: JKR is not mine !!**

A/N: Thank you so much, vodhkaholic for reviewing my fic so far. However, Severus Snape is _black_ haired, and a _first_ year. Hint, hint. Also, in this chapter, I did _not_ stick to the actual happenings.

Enjoy!

**Chapter 3:** Flashback To The "Real" World

She had already read and reread all the textbooks. She couldn't _possibly_ be behind in class. No ... no ... only first, always first. This, was the only distraction from her home. Her mother was colonial, her sister maddening, and her father simply moody.

Lily sighed. She had met the Prewett's again in the Leaky Cauldron, and had become fast friends with Alice. Alice was glad to make acquaintances, being mousy haired and not much of an outgoing girl.

The red-haired girl crossed her legs, and uncrossed them. She was terribly excited! This was a chance to start over, _all_ over, from what had happened in her fifth standard.

_ Flashback_

_Lily went to join her friends at the playgrounds – Pam Limeline, Dani Meola, and Ava Williams._

_"You're finally here!" Dani widened her blue eyes, making her blond hair stand out._

_"What should we do?" Pam mused, ruffling her light chestnut hair and casting her big brown eyes at the ground._

_"I know! Let's do the obstacle course." Ava lit up. She was never one to stay quiet, and immediately pushed a lock of raven-black hair back._

_"Yeah! Come on!" Lily exclaimed._

_"Nah … let's jump rope with the other girls." Dani said, motioning them to follow her._

_Pam shrugged. "Sounds fun to me."_

_"No…" Ava and Lily disagreed._

_"Come on, you losers! You never have any fun." Dani started walking hand in hand with Pam._

_Ava followed them, but Lily lagged behind. She spoke loudly and clearly, just within earshot of Dani and Pam. "Wow, Ava, _someone's_ acting like a sore thumb, yeah?"_

_Ava didn't reply. But Dani pounced for the bait. "Let's go, Lindsey." _

_Pam and Dani started running away from Lily, leaving her standing there by the slide. Moments later, Lily started running after them, forgetting that Pam and Dani would eventually split up. Deciding to go after the weaker of the two, she ran after the Greek Pam Limeline, begging to be forgiven._

_"We're not going to forgive you!" Pam shouted back, her wavy highlighted brown hair glinting in the sunlight. "Ever! So stop asking us! Even if we do forgive you, we're going to be lying to you!"_

_"Please!" Lily pleaded. A tear found its way down her reddened cheeks. "Just one more chance. It was just a stupid name-calling!"_

_"I told you, it's not going to happen!" Pam told her, and if on cue, a whistle pierced the air._

_ End of Flashback_

She sighed again, and thought about how the whole fifth standard that year had been set on avoiding her and hating her. That year, she lost all of her friends over something as stupid as calling someone a "sore thumb". Shaking her head to clear the memory, Lily made her way out of the Leaky Cauldron, her trunk in hand and her mind set for King's Cross. Lily's Hogwarts letter had mentioned Platform 9 and 3/4 ... something about going in between a barrier.

... Ever since that fateful day with Pam and Dani, Lily had never been the same. She would let no one know who she really was on the inside ... a true coward. Just a stupid little girl, with no way to the real world.

Lily shook her head, approaching Platform Nine. She wouldn't let anyone, ANYONE, get to know her from the inside. No one. Not even Severus Snape.

No one.

**... How was it? Better? I wrote the flashback based factually on what happened to me. And I'm **_**still**_** coping with it. Anyway, reviews are welcome for me!!**


	4. Arrogant Toerag

Disclaimer: I own nothing of J

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Harry Potter.**

A/N: Reviews, please! my fic ..

Enjoy!!

**Chapter 4:** Arrogant Toerag

"Erm, excuse me? Excuse me, mister?" Lily sweetly asked a security guard. "Where's Platform 9 3/4's?"

"You're the eighth person to ask me today!" The beefy security guard roared, pointing a fat finger at her. "And I'll say for the eighth time, there IS NO PLATFORM NINE AND THREE QUARTERS IN KINGS CROSS!"

"Sorry for disturbing you." Lily murmured, and backed away slowly. Suddenly, she spotted Severus, her longtime childhood friend. "Severus! Thank Merlin!"

"Hello, Lily. Have you got all your schoolbooks? Let's go through that barrier first, that way we can board the train." Severus tried to smile, and motioned towards the red barrier they were to cross. His sallow face and black hair seemed to immediately perk up at seeing Lily. "Come on, now just push your trolley towards the wall, and close your eyes, alright? Trust me."

Quiet only for a moment, Lily replied, "Okay!" She closed her eyes and thought: _What if he had noticed I had hesitated?_ Pushing the perturbing thought out of her head, she gathered her will and pushed her trolley towards the wall, Severus following her.

For a moment, blackness. Then she heard a voice shouting, "All aboard! Hogwarts students, this way please! Prefects, Head Boy, and Head Girl follow me! Quickly, now!"

Lily opened her eyes. In front of her was a bustling train station. She turned to Severus. "And the Muggles can't see this?"

He smiled again. "They can't see a thing."

"Let's get onto the train now, and get seats before they're all taken, Sev! Come on!" Lily smiled (of course, not genuinely), and beckoned Severus to follow her.

"Need help?" A boy smoothly asked, and Lily looked up, partly in alarm and partly in relief. Her trunk was too heavy for her to carry.

"Yes, please!" Lily genuinely smiled, and widened her eyes in shock. _Did you just do that, Lily? Did you just give away your real smile? _Quickly handing him the trunk, she studied him a bit closer. He was a thin boy, wore round-rimmed glasses, and had warming hazel eyes. His hair was jet-black and untidy, which stuck up in the back.

"OY! SIRIUS! Help me with this trunk!" The boy called, trying to lift the trunk but failing.

"Oops. Sorry." Lily mumbled and blushed-_blushed_. She turned around, pretending to find Severus but really hiding her blush. "Severus?"

But Severus was already gone. He had seen James Potter and immediately went to a different opening on the train.

"_There_ you are! What takes you so long?" The jet-black haired boy asked Sirius. Sirius was rather haughty and tall, and his hair color was also black, though not as much as the other boy.

The boy named Sirius laughed, and his dark hair fell into his gray eyes with a casual elegance. Lily thought that his laugh was sort of like a bark from a dog. "There was just this brunette ... and I was chatting her up a bit ..."

The jet-black haired boy rolled his eyes, and Lily felt her stomach drop. She's always loved hazel eyes ...

"Just help me with her trunk, will you?" The jet-black haired boy clutched the trunk with Sirius, and both of them pulled it together with ease onto the train. "Here you are."

"Oh, thanks! Thanks so much! Is there anything I can do for you?" Lily felt herself genuinely grin at two of them. Then she stuck out her right hand. "I'm Lily Evans, and this is my first year."

The two boys immediately shook her hand, first the jet-black haired boy and then Sirius. The jet-black haired boy grinned back at Lily and spoke. "I'm James Potter, at your service. And this is Sirius Black, my best mate."

Lily couldn't stop blushing, and she needed to stop. _Stop, Lily! STOP! Why are you blushing? Don't blush! Don't show them who you are! This is only your first day, and already you're falling for a boy?! JUST STOP! _"Nice to meet you, James and Sirius. Excuse me, but I think I'll need to find a ... compartment before all of them are full. I'll see you soon, hopefully!"

"We'll see you around, Lily." James and Sirius replied.

She picked up her trunk and made her way down the aisle, trying to find an empty compartment. Lily still hadn't seen Severus, but she would deal with that later. Finally finding an empty compartment, she slid into it and put her trunk down on the floor. Lily sat down, and took out her wand from her jean pocket. She pointed her wand directly on her trunk and concentrated solely on moving her trunk into the trunk compartment.

Lily took a deep breath, and calmly said, "_Wingardium Leviosa!_" Still concentrating on moving the trunk, Lily moved her wand, which was now pointing at the trunk compartment. Her trunk followed her wand movement, and slid neatly into the compartment. Lily smiled. She really _was_ a witch. She had performed her first bit of magic.

Suddenly, the compartment slid open, and four laughing boys entered the compartment. Actually, three were laughing and the fourth was squeaking. James and Sirius, two of the boys that were laughing, saw Lily and asked. "Do you mind if we sit here?"

"No, not at all." Lily replied, and took out a Transfiguration textbook to re-re-read it. She still didn't understand that subject

One of the two other boys stuck out his right hand and warmly smiled. "I'm Remus Lupin, nice to meet you. You must be Lily Evans ... James here wouldn't stop talking about you!"

Lily felt a warm tingling run through her body. _He was talking about me?_ She shook the sandy haired, brown eyed Remus's hand. "Hi Remus! By the way, did you read any of the textbooks yet?"

"I read most of them, and I think I'll finish them all this train ride." He replied. "Did you finish reading them? I saw you doing the Hover Charm. It was really good!"

"Thanks! I read _and_ re-read the textbooks. There's not much you can do for a month at the Leaky Cauldron!" Lily exclaimed. She decided she liked Remus. "Just this Transfiguration ... I don't think I'll be good at it."

"I'm sure you'll be fine!" Remus grinned tiredly. Lily noticed there was a shabby air about him. He turned back to the other boys, who were talking about houses.

"... I definitely want to go to Gryffindor, like my dad. I'd leave if I were in Hufflepuff, yeah?" James was obnoxiously loud, but his eyes were sparkling.

"I dunno. My whole family's been in Slytherin." Sirius was suddenly sullen, and his gray eyes seemed to darken.

"Blimey, and I thought you seemed alright!" James sat bolt upright, grinning.

"Maybe I'll break the tradition." Sirius's eyes seemed to become bright, and he grinned back.

"What do the four houses mean?" Lily asked the four of them. The last one of the four, Peter Pettigrew looked at her nervously.

"They're like families." Remus tried to help.

"They take classes together." Sirius put in.

"They - um - sleep - um - together." Peter squeaked.

"Basically, Ravenclaws are the smart people, Slytherin are the Dark Wizard people, Gryffindor are the brave people, and Hufflepuff is for all the others." James said, smiling warmly at her.

"Thanks! Severus said I should be in Slytherin. He's from around where I live, but I didn't see him anywhere after I boarded the train." Lily said, hoping to make conversation.

"_Snivellus_?" Snivellus Snape? I'd be surprised if he wasn't in Slytherin. And he's your friend?" Sirius laughed, and quickly covered it with a hacking cough after a glare from James.

The whole compartment seemed to become silent. Lily narrowed her eyes, and Peter squeaked and Remus quickly picked up a book and pretended to read.

"Yes, _Severus_ is my friend." Lily said coldly, and suddenly the compartment felt 10 degrees colder. "Do you have a problem?"

"No. No, he doesn't, Lily. _Sniv_-I meant Severus is lucky to have a friend like you." James sarcastically said, but couldn't resist smiling.

Suddenly, Lily leapt to her feet. "Did you hear that?"

Concern etched in his face, James asked, "What?"

But Lily was already out the door.

"Let's keep an eye out for her. She's a Muggle-born, you know." Sirius said quietly.

"That'll teach you to mess with us, filthy little Mudblood!" Bellatrix Black shrieked, and waved her wand about, causing the little kid on the floor to scream and writhe in pain.

"_EXPELLIARMUS!" _Lily shouted several times, her wand pointed at Bellatrix Black, Narcissa Black, and Lucius Malfoy. She recognized Lucius from Diagon Alley, the boy that had so rudely bumped into her.

She caught all three of their wands, and pretended not to notice the three of them slowly advancing on her. "Never, _ever_ attack a wandless kid! What was it, three on one?"

"Oh, it's just another little Mudblood. We can-" Lucius dismissively waved his hand.

"Don't call her that." James Potter suddenly stepped out of the compartment and pointed his wand at Lucius Malfoy.

"Why, is she your heartthrob, little Potty?" Narcissa sneered, laughing along with Bellatrix.

Sirius stepped out of his compartment and pointed his wand at Narcissa Black. "Don't be such a dumb blonde."

Lily's wand was still trained on Bellatrix, her eyes narrowed and her voice quiet. "Now, it would be fair."

She tossed back the three Slytherin wands, and without waiting for anything, Lily shouted, "_PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!_" She then pointed her wand at the others, but they had already hit the floor, motionless.

"Thanks." Lily quickly hugged James and Sirius, and then went back into the compartment to practice Transfiguration.

Soon after James and Sirius sauntered back into the compartment, it was getting dark. Remus seemed ready to go to sleep. "I think we should change into our robes now."

The four of them looked at Lily meaningfully. She laughed. "I don't care. I'll just change over in the corner."

Peter looked at her with his mouth wide open. "You're - going - to - change - here?"

"It doesn't really matter now, does it?" Lily asked. She wasn't going to show her body or anything.

Sirius rolled his eyes knowingly. "Let's just all do it at the same time."

Lily smiled. Making sure her camisole was still fitting onto her body, she took her shirt off and tucked it away into her trunk. Then, she took off her jeans and slid on leggings. Finally, she put her robes on, and turned around. The train was coming to a slow stop.

"Ready?" Lily asked, and everyone nodded. "Let's go."

She walked confidently down the aisle, mingling with the crowd.

"Firs' years this way! All firs' years this way! Follow me!" A _tall_ man shouted beckoning for first years to come towards him.


	5. Hoggy Warty Hogwarts

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter is **_**not **_**mine!**

**Chapter 5:**Hoggy Warty Hogwarts

Lily climbed into the gigantic boat that was to sail across the lake, feeling a whipping sense of anticipation. She saw Severus Snape, her best friend that would also be attending Hogwarts.

"Severus! SEVERUS!" Lily called out, waving and smiling to him. She made her way over. "Where were you on the train? I didn't see you anywhere!"

Severus's face instantly brightened at the sight of Lily. He began showing her his friends. Just maybe ... _just maybe_ she would like them too. "Hi Lily. I was sitting with some friends I met. Here's Will Avery, and Marius Mulciber."

Lily smiled at each of them, but couldn't help her face falling. She stuck out her hand at each of them, trying to be courteous. "Hi. I'm Lily Evans."

"... Evans, is it?" Will Avery regarded her with an obvious distaste. He shook her hand with two fingers, and quickly withdrew his hand.

"..._Mudblood_." Marius muttered to himself. "Honestly Severus, a _Mudblood_. Haven't you got better friends?"

Severus looked a bit uncomfortable and was glad when Lily broke the silence. "I was sitting with James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. They seem to be kind people."

Severus was sputtering. "Lils, no-no-I can't-they don't--"

"Although they didn't seem to like you very much, Sev." Lily interrupted, looking at him with concern. "But never mind that, we're nearly almost at the castle!"

Gratefully, Severus looked up, and his black eyes seemed to widen. "We're already here! I wouldn't have imagined it."

Lily started to squirm under the stares of Avery and Mulciber. Looking around to find Alice, she wasn't able to spot her anywhere.

"Everybody, out of the boat now, quickly!" A giant-like man bellowed. His name was Hagrid. "Go inside the castle, and wait for 'fessor McGonagall to welcome yeh all into the Great Hall."

Smiling warmly at Hagrid, Lily stepped out of the boat with the other first years, and made her way into the warm castle, waiting at the Entrance for Professor McGonagall.

Seeing Remus Lupin and Peter Petigrew, Lily quickly made her way over to them, so that she wouldn't need to stay and talk with _Avery_ and _Mulciber_.

"Hi everyone. Oh, thank _Merlin_." Lily gasped. "Severus's friends are simply _awful_!"

Peter squeaked nervously, and Remus put on a sympathetic smile. _Where were Sirius and James?_

"Erm, Remus, where's Sirius and James?" Lily asked.

Remus pretended not to notice her, and hurriedly striked up a conversation with Peter.

"Remus, where's Sirius and James?" Lily asked again, butterflies in her stomach.

Peter started to talk faster, and Remus made more gestures around with his hands.

"_Remus. Where. Is. Sirius and James??"_ Lily asked a third, time, her voice rising.

"Well-erm-" Remus started, unsure of himself.

"_REMUS! WHERE IS SIRIUS BLACK AND JAMES POTTER??" _Lily shouted, her eyes becoming slits and her hair flashing red.

"Iknowyouwon'tlikethisbutthey'replayingaprankonSeverusSnape." Remus's flushed a pale red, and he cringed.

**"**_**ARE YOU BLOODY **_**KIDDING**_** ME?! AND YOU DIDN'T STOP THEM?!" **_Lily screeched.

She pulled out her wand and made her way over to a growing crowd of first years, where James and Sirius were pointing their wands at Severus in turn and were laughing, pointing hexes at him.

"Stop it!" Lily yelled, as James shot a Jelly-Legs Jinx at Severus. She quickly muttered the counter-curse at Severus and turned again to James and Sirius.

James began to say something, but taking one look at Lily, he cowered. Lily didn't stop scolding them. "How dare you! He didn't do anything to you! And didn't I TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THINGS BEING TWO-ON-ONE??"

"Lily, please! We were only having some fun!" Sirius pleaded, wringing his hands.

Lily lowered her voice so that only James and Sirius could hear her. Her eyes were slits, and they seemed to be emitting sparks at them. "You want some fun? _I'll show you some fun!_"

Pointing her wand first at Sirius, she shouted, "_Fernunculus!_" Sirius looked at himself with disgust. He was covered with angry boils.

James pleaded with Lily, a pained expression on his face. "Please, Lily-"

"Save it! I don't want to hear it, _Potter_!" Lily used his last name contemptuously. "_Densaugeo!_"

James's face was mingled with surprise and shock, but only for the fleeting moment. His front teeth were growing enormously, past his chin, and past his chest.

Lily turned around to the crowd and pretended to raise her wand threateningly. They all quickly scampered, not wanting a jinx hit at them. Lowering it, Lily laughed softly for the first time; genuinely. _I wonder where Severus's wand was during all that time?_ Lily wondered.

"That was some nice magic. You've got loads of it in you, like I said!" Severus came up to her in gratitude.

"Thanks, but ... where was your wand all that time?" Lily asked absentmindedly, her mind in a different world. "I know that you know spells too, to protect yourself."

"Of course I do know spells to protect myself! But ... James and Sirius had Dis-Armed me, and so I was at their mercy." For the first time, Severus sounded wistful and like a normal eleven year old.

"James is _such_ an arrogant toerag! I can't believe they hexed you without you doing anything! And that too, _wandless_!" Lily exclaimed, her eyes looking around the Entrance of the castle. She had never seen anything like this! It was all real ... Hogwarts was a real place. "You didn't do anything to provoke them, did you?"

Severus flushed pale red, and lied. "No-no, of course not!"

"Good, otherwise I don't know which side I would take!"

On the walls around Lily, there were portrait-hundreds of them. They all moved and talked.

"Hello dear, are you a first year?" An old woman in an armchair asked Lily.

"Yes, I am. In fact, I'm waiting for Professor McGonagall to let us enter the Great Hall." Lily gestured towards the tight-lipped Professor. "Actually, I think she wants all of us to go in now. I'll be seeing you around soon, hopefully!"

Without waiting for a reply, Lily obediently went over to Professor McGonagall, who was shouting at James Potter and Sirius Black.

"... It's only the first day! And you've gotten boils and big teeth all over!" Professor McGonagall loudly scolded them and pursed her lips. "I've got a good mind to keep you like this, now!"

"Now, now, dear Minnie, we wouldn't want _that, _would we??" Sirius sweetly and innocently asked.

"Pro_fessor_ McGonagall." Nevertheless, she whipped out her wand and reversed the spells on James and Sirius.

"WE LOVE YOU, PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL!" Sirius shouted, and James and Sirius hugged her all around. Professor McGonagall patted their backs awkwardly, and for a second, Lily thought she saw the most tiny, most fleeting smile pass her face.

"Students! Your attention please!" Professor McGonagall called out to the milling crowd of students. Catching her eye, they immediately stopped talking and looked at her in anticipation. "We are ready! Please, line up in pairs and follow me!"

Lily turned to Severus, who had a slight smile on his face. "Ready?"

"Ready." Severus said, and his sallow face and greasy hair lit up. "Let's go!"

Side by side, Lily and Severus started walking through the open doors, leading to the Great Hall. They heard the whole school singing the school song.

_Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,_

_Teach us something, please, _

_Whether we be old and bald _

_Or young with scabby knees, _

_Our heads could do with filling _

_With some interesting stuff, _

_For now they're bare and full of air, _

_Dead flies and bits of fluff, _

_So teach us things worth knowing, _

_Bring back what we've forgot, _

_Just do your best, we'll do the rest, _

_And learn until our brains all rot._

As soon as the song was over, after a pair of tall Gryffindors were finished singing their hearts out, everyone fell silent, studying the new first years. Dumbledore stood, and Lily swore she saw Dumbledore smile her way.

"To our students from last year: welcome back! And to our new first years, welcome back! And now, for our Sorting Ceremony!"

In front of Dumblefore was a chair, with the an old, tattered hat sitting on it. Suddenly, it began to sing:

_Oh you may not think me pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends. _

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

For a moment, the Great Hall was quiet, and then exploded with applause. Lily clapped along with them, momentarily stunned by the overall amazing-ness of the Sorting Hat's ability to speak (or sing).

"And now," Professor Dumbledore's voice boomed. "The Sorting Ceremony!"

"Abott, Anastasia!" Professor McGonagall called out, and a girl with auburn hair stepped up timidly to sit in the chair. She put on the hat, and ...

"HUFFLEPUFF!" the Sorting Hat shouted, and and a table on the far left of the Great Hall cheered.

"Avery, Will!" Professor McGonagall called out yet again, and the boy which Lily had seen on the boat had only started to put on the hat when the Sorting Hat called out -

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Black, Sirius!" Professor McGonagall cried, with a slight smile on her face.

As soon as she had said the name "Black", the entire Great Hall was silent. Lily heard people whisper to another about another Black at Hogwarts, and the "terrible" things they could do.

Sirius sauntered up to the chair, and put the Hat on. This time, the Sorting Hat was taking a rather long time deciding. It was as if it was the Sorting Hat wanted him in a certain House, but Sirius wanted it otherwise. Finally-

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat screamed, and Sirius was met with an odd audience. The Slytherin's looked on at Sirius with a dumbfound face. Was it possible that a Black could be in a house other than Slytherin?

And so the Sorting Ceremony went on, as Lily clapped for each person in her year - about forty kids. The alphabet finished with B, finished with C, D, and finally, Lily's turn came. Trembling, she went up to the chair and put on the hat with shaking hands.

"_Ah, where to put you, dear Lily Evans? Hufflepuff could bring out who you've hid for 2 years, yes. But I see that you would do wonders for your mind in Ravenclaw, quite brainy I see. What is this? You would like to be in Slytherin, like your friend said?" _The Sorting Hat whispered in her ear, and Lily was frantic.

"Please," she murmured. "Not Hufflepuff! I mustn't show a soft side! And Ravenclaw would be nice, but ...Slytherin! Severus Snape said I should be in Slytherin! He said it would suit me fine."

"_No can do, my dear. You would fail miserably, though the cold layer around your heart says otherwise. Even a cold layer around an object can crack, and that would leave you vulnerable."_

"Then where do I go?" Lily murmured back to the Sorting Hat. "Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?"

_"I see you have love, _love_ that prevails above all. You are brave, ready to risk your life for your friends! You are also clever and friendly, which would do you good. But now it is your choice. Bravery or brains? Gryffindor or Ravenclaw?"_

Lily couldn't decide. Bravery or brains? "Gryffindor! Love prevails above all!"

_"Are you sure? Okay then ..."_

"GRYFFINDOR!" roared the Sorting Hat, and Gryffindor erupted in cheers.

Lily shot Severus a small, sad smile. Making her way to the table where Gryffindor's sat, Lily saw Sirius make room for her. Sitting down next to him, she was suddenly reminded of the cruelty of which he handled Severus, and turned her back on him.

As time went on and she saw Remus, Peter, James, and Alice all make their way over to the Gryffindor table. Lily smiled at Remus and Alice, but the mere sight of James made her scowl.

It would stay that way for the end of first year and second year. Until third year.


	6. Surprise Guests

Disclaimer: I own nothing of JKR

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of JKR.  
Authors Note: Enjoy !!**

**Chapter 2:** Surprise Guests

She gasped like she had any other year. It had come.

"Mum! MUM! My supplies have come for this year!" Lily Evans, a red headed, emerald- green eyed beauty, jumped up and down. Her eyes, the only part of her body that could give her away, sparkled with excitement at the thought of going again to a place that was meant for her. "Can we go to Diagon Alley tomorrow?"

"For God's sake! Lily, what is this jumping all about?" Amelia Evans lightly scolded her youngest daughter, full of composure and grace.

"My supplies have arrived for the third year at Hogwarts," Lily said slowly, her freckles catching the sunset sunlight and turning a light golden brown. She skipped and twirled, making the light coming from the window in the kitchen catch her hair and immerse her in a halo-like glow. "Can you please take me to Diagon Alley tomorrow?"

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Immediately, Lily stopped jumping, smoothened her hair, and daintily walked to the door. She opened it slowly, letting the caller get a full glimpse of her home. Suddenly, Lily let out an involuntary gasp.

"_**YOU!**_" Lily hissed. How the _bloody hell _did he know that she lived here?

"Lily dear, who is it?" Mrs. Evans called from the kitchen.

Finally noticing that the jet-black haired, round-rimmed, thirteen-year old boy was not alone, and was in fact accompanied by his parents, Lily ushered them inside, determined to set a good impression for no reason at all. "Please, come in!"

"Mum, we have guests. Mr. and Mrs. Potter have come, along with," Lily swallowed up her pride. "along with their son, _James_."

Amelia came through the kitchen, smiling warmly. "Hello, James. And you must be his parents! I am Amelia, Lily's mother. Forgive us, but my eldest daughter Petunia, is out with a friend and won't be back until tomorrow."

Mr. Potter came forward, shaking his hands with Amelia. "Amelia, I am Harold, and this is my _beautiful_ wife, Annabel."

"Please, do sit down!" Amelia directed them towards the living room. "I've heard so much about your son!"

Harold chuckled, "and we've heard a lot about your Lily! James here goes to Hogwarts with her, and-"

James cut in, his tone a bit ... _shy_? "And, I was just wondering if Lily wanted to go with my parents and I to Diagon Alley to pick up our supplies for Hogwarts."

"NO!" Lily answered loudly, her cheeks burning and eyes blazing. "Why don't you go with Sirius or someone? Why _me_?"

"Now Lily," her mother interrupted Lily, her dark green-blue eyes stern. "James here has asked you so kindly to go with him to Diagon Alley! I suggest you take him up on the offer."

Amelia winked at Mr. and Mrs. Potter, and continued, "Harold and Annabel, I do believe you'll be needing a place to stay? I'll show you to your rooms, and don't worry, you both can borrow nightclothes from my closet and my husband's."

"Oh, that won't be necessary, we can use our wands to change our clothes," Annabel grinned lopsidedly. Lily guessed that James had inherited the smile from his mother.

As Annabel and Harold went up the stairs, following Amelia around the house, James and Lily were left alone.

Immediately, Lily pounced. "_How_ did you know I live here, Potter?"

James grinned, and Lily felt her heart pump louder. "I know everything, Evans."

Lily rolled her eyes, secretly loving the attention. "Right. Er-Do you need anything? Food or water?"

Dropping to the floor in mock shock, James clutched his heart as if he was having a heart attack. "Did _Lily Evans_ just ask me if I wanted anything? I must be dreaming!"

Slightly hurt, Lily decided to kick him. "You must be, because there's _no way_ I would ask you about anything for anything!"

Biting back a retort, James was saved by Mrs. Evans. "Dinner is served, everyone!"

"Let's go and eat." Lily sighed, and made her way to the kitchen. First letting the Potters sit down, Lily (unfortunately) had to sit next to James, who was waggling his eyebrows up and down (the nerve!) and at the same time, patting the chair next to him.

As dinner slowly made its progress through, the door suddenly burst open, making a loud crash in the entrance hall. Immediately, Lily, James, Mr. and Mrs. Potter jumped up from their seats, wands outstretched and at the ready.

"Show yourself!" Harold roared. He oddly sounded like James, when he was angry.

When no one answered, the senior Potters made their way to the foyer, Lily and James close behind.

"Stay here, Mum," Lily advised, her wand still at the ready, and her emerald eyes suddenly dark.

Lily entered the foyer, and from an outsider, this might've been an odd sight to see. Annabel was at the far left, her face serious and wand outstretched in a dueling position. James was diagonally behind Annabel, his expression suspicious, with his wand gripped tightly. Harold was diagonally ahead of James, his expression mutinous and slightly protective. And Lily, her expression worried, had her wand outstretched all the time.

"It's me! It's me, honey, Amelia!" A slightly overweight man with graying hairs in a policeman uniform shouted. "It's Samuel! I just overturned the foot bench!"

Still not lowering their guard, the four wizards and witches waited for Amelia to answer.

"Samuel! You're late again! And we have guests!" Amelia came rushing into the foyer to find four wooden sticks pointed at Samuel. At hearing Amelia speak to her husband, the four wizards and witches lowered their wands.

Harold went to Mr. Evans, his hand stretched out. "Er-sorry about that. I'm Harold Potter, and this is my wife Annabel. My son's name is James; he goes with Lily to Hogwarts."

Mr. Evans eyed Harold's hand suspiciously, and then shook it. "I'm Samuel. So sorry for disrupting dinner. Please, let's go back to the kitchen."

The adults went back into the kitchen, chatting merrily, but Lily stayed behind, her back facing the kitchen, hidden from view. James saw her lagging behind, and softly put his hand on Lily's shoulder. "Lily? Dinner's still going on."

"Hmm? Oh. Er-Go on ahead. I'll be there in a minute." Lily absentmindedly touched his hand on her shoulder.

"The chicken's calling..." James called, but Lily didn't hear him. She sank to her knees.

_Late again. Late again. Late again. Late again. Everyday this goes on. When will it end?_

"Lily?" Amelia called from the kitchen. "Aren't you coming?"

Snapping back to the "real world", Lily willed herself to block out any emotions. "Yes, I'm coming."

"...everyday these strange _things_ keep happening! You see gas leaks, pipe leaks, and murder. But by _who_?? They leave no trace of anything. People just drop ... _dead_." Samuel was gesturing around with his hands, and Harold nodded sympathetically.

"The same thing happens with the Ministry, which is the wizarding government. My wife and I are Aurors, which means that we are Dark-wizard catchers. Basically, we capture people that are under the Imperius Curse, terrorists, or people that work for Voldemort." Harold replied. "And now, we get home late all the time!"

Samuel furrowed his eyebrows. "What are the Imperius Curse and Voldemort?"

Annabel cut in, eager to speak. "The Imperius Curse is a curse which makes you do whatever the caster tells you to. For example, if I Imperiused Harold, then I could tell him to do whatever I wanted and he would do it. Voldemort is the problem of all of this. He's coming out into the open, and Imperiusing people in the Ministry to do what he wants. And, he's attacking Muggles-sorry, non-wizard people and Muggleborns, which are wizards or witches that come from non-wizarding families. What Voldemort is trying to achieve is a entirely pure-blood wizarding community. Basically people that come from wizarding families only."

"So you're saying that Lily is in danger of this Voldemort?" Amelia looked up, starting to rise, and sat back down.

"A bit ..." Harold trailed off uncertainly looking at Annabel.

"Actually, she is in danger. James tells me that she is at the top of her year!" Annabel looked meaningfully at Harold, then James. "Voldemort, it seems, has a certain loathing for Muggleborns that excel in magic. He thinks that they shouldn't be allowed to do it."

Samuel spoke in a deep, deciding voice. "Then, I'm afraid, Lily shouldn't go to Hogwarts this year. Don't you agree, Amelia?"

"Yes, of course I agree! We don't want you getting hurt." Amelia trilled unnaturally, looking around.

"But Mum-" Lily tried to plead with Mrs. Evans, before getting a sharp look by her.

"Lily. What's decided is decided." Samuel lifted up his right hand as if to silence Lily.

"Sir, Lily would be safer at Hogwarts." James intervened, looking from Samuel to Amelia and lastly to Lily. Lily in turn death-glared at him, willing him to stop talking. But James, as usual, didn't care at all. He went on. "Albus Dumbledore once defeated the Dark Wizard Grindelwald. The safest place for Lily is Hogwarts, where she is under the supervision and safety of many enchantments and spells protecting the castle."

Harold nodded. "This is true. There's no safer place than Hogwarts. As long as Dumbledore is the headmaster, no harm will come to anyone."

"Please Mum, Dad, let me go to Hogwarts. I'll come home for Christmas, unless you both are going on a business trip." Lily pleaded, her eyes silently begging.

"We just want what's best for you, Lily. Go to Hogwarts. And about your Christmas break," Samuel and Amelia glanced at each other. Amelia decided to break the ice. "I need to go to the States for a business trip, and I'm taking Samuel with me. Petunia will stay at Aunt Victoria's."

"_Again_??" Lily cried, not noticing the Potter's were catching onto every word, and grinning. "You both went last year too, and the year before! I had to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas break! Mum, you only cancel the business trips during Easter, and that's it."

"Lily, you know why that is. With all these attacks, people are quitting their jobs and moving away." Amelia sighed, and absentmindedly cut her food into small pieces. "That's why I am getting so many trips to places."

"You know," Annabel started, a smile creeping up her brightened face. "Lily could stay with us for Christmas, so that she won't be alone at Hogwarts. No one should be alone on Christmas day!"

"Yes, that's right." Harold agreed. "Have her stay with us. At Hogwarts, there aren't many people that stay for Christmas. Also, I'm sure James will be having Sirius and Remus over. I don't think that Peter is coming this year."

"That would be _great_!" James smirked at Lily. "I'm sure Lily would have _loads_ of fun!"

"Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I-" Lily tried to refuse the offer, but was cut of by Mr. Potter.

"Oh please, call us Harold and Annabel!"

"Harold and Annabel, thanks for the offer, but-erm-I-" Lily bit her tongue, refraining herself from saying "don't want to come!". Trying to by kinder, Lily continued. "I don't want to intrude, or anything ..."

Annabel's smile only grew bigger. "Trust us, you wouldn't be intruding! I'm _sure_ you'd be much quieter than Sirius. And we'll take good care of you too. You'd be under our protection-"

"-the protection being some of the greatest Aurors of our time." James finished for Annabel, waggling his eyebrows at Lily. Lily blushed, and quickly covered it up with a hacking cough. In turn, Jame hit her on the back.

"Harold, what do you think? She would be under good protection, and she would have fun..." Amelia turned to her husband, unable to decide.

"For God's sake, let's let her go! She's growing up as it is." Samuelsighed, as if remembering the days of Lily as a toddler.

_No! I won't go!_ Lily wanted to shout. She didn't want to get along with Ja-_Potter _and going to his home during Christmas break would only make them friends! _What would Sev think of the Potters at my house??_

"So it's decided then? Lily's coming home during Christmas break?" Harold looked around at the table.

"Yes, I think it would be best." Amelia smiled, picking up the finished plates.

"James has been waiting for this for _so _long!" Annabel quavered, ignoring the stop-talking-_now_ look from James. "He wouldn't stop talking about this girl named Lily... That would be you, right?"

Lily blushed. "I suppose so-"

"Oh good!" Annabel relaxed back into her chair. "I'm so glad it's you and not someone else. Who knows how the girl would be like!"

"Er-thanks." Lily mumbled, slightly amused at the face the Potter actually talked about her.

"_Mum._" James cleared his throat, sending a glare to Annabel.

"Am I embarrassing you, James?" Annabel sweetly asked, winking at Lily in a very James-like-style. "But she's so sweet, and polite, and smart, and kind, and _perfect_!"

"Of course I know that!" James exasperatedly said, ignoring the incoherent remarks from Lily. "But _she_ doesn't!"

Lily narrowed her eyes slightly at this. He told her that she was perfect every _bloody_ day.

Amelia came back into the room where the five-some were chatting. "I have my camera right here! Let me take some photos."

Annabel jumped up off the couch, and _ran_ over to where Amelia was standing. "A cam-ay-raa? Is that the photo taking machine-y thingy?"

Amelia shot a look at Lily, as if to say, _They don't know what a _camera_ is??_

Lily tried to explain sympathetically. "A Muggle camera takes photos, but the pictures don't move like wizard ones."

Annabel made her way back to her seat, cheeks reddened and obviously embarrassed. "Oh. Well, I knew that. Erm-sort of."

Amelia started snapping photos everywhere. She took a photo of all the adults, then just James and Lily with their arms around each other.

James easily slinked his hand around Lily's waist, and Lily timidly placed her hand on his shoulder. _I can't believe he's touching me. The nerve!_

"You two look so adorable!" Amelia gave a loving look towards the pair of them. As soon as she snapped the picture, Lily withdrew her hand and made space between them.

"You know, it is getting a bit late ... perhaps we send the children to bed?" Samuel pondered. "I'm sorry, James, but we only have 3 rooms in this house. Is it alright if you share a room with Lily? Of course you'll have a separate bed."

James jumped up, his eyes twinkling. "Of course! Sure!! Let's go to bed now!!"

"_Don't you dare try anything._" Lily whispered in an undertone, loud enough for James to hear. "Alright then, I'll be showing my room in a moment. Thank Merlin it's neat."

Finally reaching her room, Lily opened the door to a moderately-sized sky-blue bedroom. There were two separate beds, and Lily motioned for James to pick whichever he wanted.

Taking the one on the left, James plopped down on the bed. Lily sat on the left bed softly. She began to take out her nightclothes, and James took out his night cloak. Both turning their back on each other, they quickly changed into their clothes.

"So, erm-why aren't you taking Sirius to Diagon Alley?" Lily asked curiously. "Why me?"

"Well, my parents wanted to see you ..." James turned around, a mischievous-sheepish grin on his face. "Who uses this bed?"

Lily's face immediately darkened, and her voice was quiet, as if remembering a horrible thing. "Petunia. My older sister."

"You don't like her?"

"Her?" Lily scoffed. "'Course not. She thinks I'm a freak for being a witch, but I s'pose she's a bit jealous since she's not one too."

"That's terrible!" James widened his eyes, and Lily nearly dropped in shock. It was really, the first thing James had ever said to her that Lily agreed with. _Maybe there's more to him than I thought ...WAIT! STOP! You are _never_ falling for him!_

"It's been like that ever since Sev and I got the letter." Lily sighed, remembering that ever fateful day. Petunia had stormed into the house, screaming and finally rushing up to her bedroom and slamming the door.

James's eyes narrowed. "You do realize where Snivellus is going, don't you?"

Lily's eyes narrowed more. "Don't call Severus that. He's not going that way. He's _my friend_."

James's eyes were narrowed more than Lily's by this point, and raised his voice a bit. "He's going to the Dark Arts! Sni-Snape hangs out with Avery and Mulciber .. the one's guaranteed to join Voldemort."

Lily narrowed her eyes, more than James this time. "He won't. He won't! Sev isn't like that."

James smirked, releasing his gaze on Lily. "Haven't you noticed how _little_ time he spends with you now?"

"STOP IT!" Lily shouted, turning away. At Lily's abruptness, James cowered. _Don't let him get the best of you, Lily. Even if it is true. _Lily lowered her voice a bit, in shame. "So what if he has? It isn't as if Sev's gone off doing some Dark Magic. He's _only_ thirteen, just like us!"

"Just like Avery and Mulciber."

"They're different."

"Snivellus sticks by them and Rosier _all_ the time now." James smirked again, not realizing he had walked into the same trap.

Lily chose her words carefully, with a deathly quiet voice. _Keep your voice quiet. Don't let him know you were about to shout again! _"All the time? I think not. For example, Sev and I spend time together in Potions and in the summers."

Recognizing real anger, James replied slower. "You know, that's not a lot ... How do you know what he does all the other times?"

_Who is he to ask all these questions?_ Eyes blazing, hair whipping around her, freckles motionless, Lily ran at James with her wand at his throat. "YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ALL THAT HE'S BEEN THROUGH. YOU-_"_

For a moment, Lily's eyes _flashed-_actually flashed-before her wand hand relaxed and her wand fell limply out of her hand. She fell backwards, towards the hard floor before James came out of his shocked state and caught her just before she hit the floor. He carried her with ease and put her on her bed.

Lily moaned, her eyes closed. Forgetting James was sitting beside her, she thought that it was her dad before the Voldemort days.

"Daddy, first year Severus spent everyday with me. Then second year it half the time. What will it be this year, Daddy? I don't know what to do, Daddy? Please, Daddy, help me! Help me!"

James blanched as a second shock surged through his body. He softly covered her eyes and began to lull her to sleep. After about five long minutes, Lily's face had a small smile on her face. "Thank you, Daddy. Goodnight."

"G'night." James softly said, pulling the covers over her head. Picking up Lily's wand from the floor and placing it on the nightstand, James climbed into his own bed and thought about everything Lily had said to him. _Maybe I was wrong about Snape after all._

--

_Lily was in a dark cave with James, anxiously waiting for the kidnapper to reveal themselves._

_Finally, the person stepped out, and Lily gasped. Her long-time friend, Severus Snape was her kidnapper. He spoke incoherently, and Lily could not hear what Severus said. The only light in the cave was the light from Severus's wand._

_"Kill ... yes. I'm sorry you have to witness this, Lily, but you must witness the death of James Potter." Severus's pale lips curved up in a remorseful, yet evil smile. He pointed his wand at James, but instead found Lily in front of him, blocking James from the spell._

_"Get out of the way, Lily." Severus said softly. Then he spoke louder. "Get _out_ of the way, Lily! This isn't meant for you!"_ _Lily didn't budge, her arms crossed across her chest with a determined look._

_"If this is the way you want it to be, Lily, then I'm sorry. _Avada-_"_

"NO!! NO!!"

Lily woke bolt-upright in her room to a sound of screaming beside her. She got to her feet and padded over to the bed next to her. She found James, tossing and turning in his sleep.

"No!" James moaned. "Take me! Don't take her, please!"

"James," Lily put her hand softly on his forehead. "It's just a dream."

'NO!" James shouted, making Lily jump. "Take me, please! Not her!"

"It's okay," Lily softly said, trying to sooth him. She tried a technique her mother used to use. Placing one hand over his eyes and one over his forehead, Lily began to tap softly, keeping her palms where they were and just bring her fingers softly up and down. Doing this over again until his shouting were soft moans, Lily stood to go back to her waiting bed, when she heard a soft moan:

"Take me, please. Don't take Lily; I love her."

Lily slid under her covers, shocked. She had always hated James, because of what he did to Severus. Then again, she hated many boys, always suspicious of them. She didn't want to be hurt again. _Maybe I was wrong about James._


	7. Diagon Alley

Disclaimer: JKR is not mine

**Disclaimer: JKR is not mine !!**

A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. I'm not too sure about this chapter, so see how it goes!

**Chapter 3:** Diagon Alley

Lily woke weakly to the warm sunshine pouring in through the window, immersing her hair in a just-washed-and-dried glow and making her subtle freckles dance. Before getting out of bed, she remembered getting truly angered at James, for the truth he spoke.

_I should say sorry to him._ Lily got up and reached for her wand to put in her nightclothes' pocket. It wasn't there. Lily groped for her wand again, and finally, not finding it, Lily shakily got out of bed, feeling her naturally flat abs tighten under the pressure of collapsing again. She spotted her wand next to another wand, taller than hers.

Keen to avoid disturbing James from his deep slumber, Lily watched him carefully. His glasses were askew, and his hair was messy, splaying all over the bed. His rosy lips were open a crack, and his arm was thrust across the bed.

Grabbing her wand suddenly, Lily felt emotions barreling through her from the night before ...

_James replied slower. "You know, that's not a lot ... How do you know what he does all the other times?"_

_Eyes blazing, hair whipping around her, freckles motionless, Lily ran at James with her wand at thrust at his throat._

_For a moment, Lily's eyes flashed before her wand hand relaxed and her wand fell limply out of her hand. She fell backwards, towards the hard floor before James came out of his shocked state and caught her just before she hit the floor. He carried her with ease and put her on her bed._

_Lily moaned, her eyes closed. Forgetting James was sitting beside her, she thought that it was her dad before the Voldemort days._

_"Daddy, first year it was everyday. Then second year it half the time. What will it be this year, Daddy? I don't know what to do, Daddy? Please, Daddy, help me! Help me!"_

_James blanched as a second shock surged through his body. He softly covered her eyes and began to lull her to sleep. After about five long minutes, Lily's face had a small smile on her face. "Thank you, Daddy. Goodnight."_

From just remembering the collapse, Lily shivered, shaking her head as if to clear the fogginess. Stepping on creaky wooden board, she cringed, hoping James wouldn't wake up.

Almost as if reading her thoughts, James' strong hands clasped her on both of her bony shoulders. Lily felt a strong sense of warmth surge through her body, and she stuck her head back, closing her eyes as she felt the rays of weak sunshine and James mix.

"You're already awake?" Lily asked while still keeping her eyes calmly shut.

"I don't wake up before eight in the morning ..." James said, not moving his hands from her shoulders.

Hearing the word 'morning' made Lily feel the word 'hazel'. Another surge of warmth started from her toes to the tip of her head, making her stretch her back.Lily felt his hazel eyes on her, and felt another surge of warmth start from her toes to the tip of her head.

Reluctantly, Lily opened her eyes and shook herself out of James' grasp. "Can we go down for breakfast now?"

"Not before you answer some questions." James determinedly grabbed the slim wrist trying to make its way past him. "What-"

"No!" Lily tried to struggle her way out of James' strong hold on her wrist, but with no avail. She struggled harder, remembering her swim coach's advice. _Whenever you are in trouble, just think of your swim team and all the good memories it gave you. Then think of the training you put into it, and how your teammates helped you. _she could hear Coach Fallon's voice in her head.

James kept a steady grip on her wrist, trying to not to hurt her nor let her get her way. "Keep still!"

Lily kept struggling against his firm grip, trying to summon all the strength she could. Glancing up at James, Lily gasped. She saw the same thing as she saw with _him_.

_Not another Harry! Don't fall again! _At this thought, Lily gave one last burst of strength to pull away from him, desperate to get away. She kicked him in the shin before he could react and quickly made her way to the door.

James felt Lily's hand slip out of his grasp and sighed, shocked. Not only was _she_ able to get out of _his_ grasp, but he needed to gain her trust before doing _anything. _"Enough is enough, Lily. I want to-"

At first, smiling with glee at escaping his grasp, Lily's smile quickly subsided. "What?"

"How did you collapse at the mention of Snape?" James tried to ask without falling in the same dilemma as last night.

"I-I-I don't know." Lily lied. Then she smirked mentally, knowing that she could act as if she was a completely different person. "Maybe I was tired from the day's activities."

--

Lily and James took off to the kitchen, feeling the hungry rumble in their stomachs.

"Oh, good morning Lily. Had a restful night, James?" Amelia sweetly asked, smiling motherly at each of them.

"Oh. Er-yes, I did, thank you." James glanced at Lily and back again at her mother.

"Ready for Diagon Alley today? I say we'd be back by 2 in the afternoon." Harold's voice rumbled across the breakfast table. "We can stop by Franchoise Restaurant for lunch, if you would like."

"Sure!" James smiled warmly at his father.

"Breakfast is served, you lot!" Amelia came into the kitchen carrying six plates in one hand, and pancakes in the other.

Seeing the pancakes on her plate, Annabel took a cautious bite and immediately dug in, basking in the syrupy taste. James and Harold, however, started digging in without a second though.

Viewing this much family-like scene, Lily felt out of the picture though she was in her own home. Her parents were lovable enough, but weren't so ... _happy _and _cheerful_. Breakfast for them, nowadays, was a quick toast before getting on with the days activities. Nevertheless, Lily tried to push these impeding thoughts to the back of her head and turn her thoughts to the waiting syruped pancakes.

--

"Ready, then?" Annabel asked James and Lily.

Money in her pocket, Lily nodded, and went out the door, ready to go by Side-Along Apparition to Diagon Alley. Truth be told, she was a bit excited and nervous at the same time. Though she wouldn't tell anyone this, of course.

"Bye, Amelia!" Harold called. "We'll be back soon, hopefully."

Annabel smiled warmly at Lily. Almost wishing Lily was her own, she said, "Grab onto my arm now, won't you Lily? We can go be Side-Along Apparition, and Harold and James will come too, though separately."

Lily obeyed Annabel's orders, closely observing her. She seemed so kind and like a second mother type of person. What she wouldn't give ...

"I'm ready." Lily suddenly said, latching herself lightly on Annabel's arm.

"Alright, here we go ...!" Annabel turned on her left foot, immediately feeling the regular compressed feeling.

Lily felt as she were being squeezed through small rubber tube. Her lungs were becoming desperate to burst, although she had been taught to hold her breath for long amounts of time in the water. Closing her eyes, shades of gray flashed through her eyes. Everything was black, and she couldn't find her way out.

And suddenly, everything was still.

"Welcome once again to Diagon Alley!" Annabel announced like a child brandishing her arms out as if she was in a dramatic play.

"Thanks for bringing me here." Lily politely said, embarrassed but all the same happy. People were moving by the shops a bit quicker than they had the years before, and kept their heads down. The children with them were squished in between the parents, eying everybody warily.

"No problem!" Annabel smiled lopsidedly. "I love having girls around. Harold and James should be here any moment now ..."

"We're here!" Harold shouted behind Annabel, making her jump in fright.

"Er-right. Let's get your materials, hmm?" Without waiting for an answer, Annabel started to walk straight ahead. "James needs new robes, do you Lily?"

"Yes, I do need new robes." Lily answered, walking in line with James. She held up her moderate-sized money bag. "But I have all my money here."

All four of them walking into Madame Malkin's, they were quickly ushered into the store, ready to be taped and measured.

"You both must be third years, am I correct?" A slightly plump grandmother-type woman smiled eye-level at James and Lily.

"Yes." James answered confidently at her, flashing her a wink.

"Aah ... Hogsmeade year! I suppose you would be taking her, yes?" Madame Malkin nodded towards Lily, her smile never wavering while sizing Lily up and measuring her.

At this, Lily blushed a furious shade of red, and started to fidget. "Erm-"

"Go to the counter dear, your new robes will be there." Madame Malkin patted Lily's shoulder, and immediately turned to measure James.

Going to the counter, Lily found her new robes with no trouble. Paying her seven Sickles, she went back to the front door, waiting for the rest of the Potter's.

"...Good luck, dear!" Madame Malkin called to James as the Potters and Lily began to walk out of the door.

"Can I have your supplies list, Lily? If you and James have the same classes, I can just get the textbooks and come back." Annabel asked, and Lily nodded mutely, handing the list over.

"...Ah yes, you just need Unfogging the Future and The Monster Book of Monsters. I'll get them now." Annabel sped away, leaving Harold and James with Lily.

"Do you need anything else, Lily?" Harold asked, craning his neck around.

"No, I'll be using the same cauldrons as last year." Lily responded, smiling back.

"Let's go to Qualilty Quidditch Supplies!" James shouted, causing other shoppers to look at him.

Lily paled a bit, fighting the urge to go with James and to stay rooted to the spot, not allowing herself the pleasure.

James noticed this and smirked. "Oh come on, don't be so _hard_ on yourself! It's fine if you have a bit of fun!"

"Alright, then." Lily replied hotly, while Harold looked from James and Lily in amusement.

"Let's go!" James ran to Quality Quidditch Supplies, with Lily walking to the store, rolling her eyes and smiling in astonishment.

_He really is -_ Lily didn't complete her thought, hurriedly trying to push the impeding thought away as she watched James run into the store like a child.

Lily opened the door, and rolled her eyes again at the sight. There was a new broom out, the Nimbus 500. She saw a couple of boys hovering over it, marveling at the broom's fine handiwork. Looking more into the room, she saw sets of Quidditch balls along with new Beater bats and old brooms. Then, finally at the register, there was a single book, _Quidditch Through The Ages. _Next to that book, of course, had piles of posters with famous Quidditch stars pictured on them. Walking up closer and rifling through the posters, Lily could see Ludo Bagman's face up close, smiling and waving up at her.

Suddenly Lily felt a finger poke her in the sides and screamed, reflexively taking out her wand.

"_Relax, _relax. It was only a _joke_." James cockily grinned, and Lily slowly put her wand back in her robes, wanting to wipe that smile off his face. "We have to go back now to eat lunch and head home."

"Okay." Lily began to walk back towards the front door, trying to ignore the murmurs and whispers beside her.

"-could have been You-Know-Who for all we knew!" An adult shook his head, furtively glancing at the passing redhead.

Lily kept her head up high, and continued walking.

"-needn't have screamed,-"

Blushing, Lily continued walking, pretending she hadn't heard a word.

"A Muggleborn, for Merlin's sake!"

Lily walked out the door, and waited for James.

"Ready?" She asked, pretending not to care about all the things people had said.

"I'm hungry. Let's go." James motioned towards an expensive looking restaurant ahead of them, where Harold and Annabel were waving.

Not waiting for James, Lily began walking towards the happy couple. She blinked and saw her parents, stern and unsmiling. Frantically blinking again, Lily saw Harold and Annabel, smiling happily with their arms around each other.

Shaking her head slightly, Lily realized that she had reached the joyous couple along with James.

"Are you hungry?" Harold asked, rubbing his belly. "Let's eat!"

The group of merry people went into the restaurant in a certain formation, while smiling about and staying merry. Harold went in the restaurant looking around, while James and Lily were in the middle side by side. Annabel rounded the group up by being at the back. Before entering the restaurant, however, Annabel looked around behind her.

_Strange._ Lily thought to herself as she watched Harold and Annabel take precautionary measures.

"Erm, yes. Welcome to the Franchoise Restaurant." A small, yet beefy man looked up at the group of four, holding a pile of menu's. Realizing his French was not perfect, he rushed to make it sound right. "'ow many?"

"Table for four people." Harold said clearly.

"Follow me, pleez." The man motioned towards a table outlined with gold trimming. The table itself was a soft gold-yellow, with four chairs around it. As Lily looked around the room, she saw that the room had been painted a dark shade of red.

_Wow! This is beautiful! _Lily thought in amazement, oddly thinking of green. She blinked, and the room color had changed to the exact shade of green she had thought of. Looking at the tables, they had also changed to complimentary colors. _Amazing. Absolutely bloody amazing._

"Like it?" Annabel smiled, showing a row of beautiful pearly white teeth. "It's an Everlasting Color-Changing Charm, which lets you choose the colors and changes according to your mood. I made it a Greek white setting."

"It's ... brilliant." Lily breathed, sitting down.

The waiter cleared his throat, and looked at the four in sour amusement. "Vood you like to order now?"

"Yes." Harold answered, thumbing through the menu. "I would like the Patee Brisee Pastry Dough and water please."

At once, the man snapped and smiled devilishly, leaving gold dust between his fingers. The decorative pastry dough instantly appeared on his plate, after the same golden dust swirled around the plate.

"I would like a dish of Raclette." Annabel winked at Harold openly. "One can never eat too much cheese."

Again, the waiter snapped again, and glittering gold dust swirled to Annabel's plate, transfiguring (or so Lily thought) into cubes of melting cheese surrounded by peeled potatoes.

"And I would like the Boudin Noir." James grinned again, and ran a hand through his mussed hair.

The same procedure for Harold and Annabel happened again, only with four sausages in the center of the plate, onions creatively placed around the table, and sixteen slices of juicy-looking apple placed in the onion rings.

Lily's mouth was hanging open, and only after James discreetly nudged her did she snap to reality and close her jaw. _This is my _third _year in Diagon Alley, and yet magic amazes me every time!_

"Mademoiselle?" The waiter asked, peering through his bifocals at Lily. "Et pour vous?"

"Lily?" Annabel put a hand on Lily's pale arm, shaking her slightly. Taking all of this in, James nudged Lily again, sending a warm, tingling feeling up the right side of her hip.

"Oh! Er-yes. Sorry about that." Lily foolishly blushed, and scanned the menu before picking a random item from her menu. "Please bring me the Mont d'Or."

The man hesitated slightly before snapping his fingers and having a dish full of Mont d'Or cheese, potatoes, sausages, pickles, and cloves of garlic appear in golden dust on Lily's plate.

"Well, dig in!" Harold brightly said, gesturing towards his food.

Remembering her manners that had been pounded into her head so long ago, Lily daintily picked up her green napkin and placed it on her lap. Then, with quick nimble fingers, she picked up her fork and knife - the two utensils she could never use. Eating the cheese cubes first, Lily ate quickly while making sure she had chewed thoroughly.

"Do you like it, Lily?" Annabel asked, pointing her fork at Lily's plate in between bites.

"Of course! It's quite tasty." Lily quickly replied, making sure she had a smile on her face.

Starting then on the potatoes and sausages, Lily sloppily cut them into pieces, and ate quickly, trying to make sure she wasn't the last to finish. Harold had already finished, and Annabel and James were close to finishing. Swallowing quietly, Lily ate the pickles without making sour faces, not wanting to make the wrong appearance.

"You know, Lily." James cockily spoke loudly. "You can eat as sloppily as you want here."

"Yeah, it's true!" Annabel exclaimed, smiling devilishly. "No one will laugh at you."

At this, Lily slightly looked up, but looked down again and picked up another clove.

"Oh, come of it Lily!" James smirked. "Just eat."

"Please?" Annabel asked, smiling.

"Please?"

"Please?"

"_Please?_"

Without answering, Lily pretended to pick a garlic clove and eat it, tasting the bitterness without complaining.

Suddenly, James picked up a garlic clove from her plate and put it in front of her face, waggling it as he went along. Lily rolled her eyes, but ignored him. Seeing that Lily wasn't going to be easily broken, he licked the clove all over, making loud slurping noises. Then, he threw it up into the air and caught it with his mouth. Chewing loudly, James swallowed and smirked again at Lily.

Lily rolled her eyes again, amid the chuckles of the rest of the table.

"It's-okay-if-you-eat-that-way." Annabel breathed between laughs.

Taking this as a challenge, Lily picked up the last clove left on her plate and slurped her tongue around the clove dramatically, taking in the salty bitter taste of the garlic.

James and Annabel only laughed harder, clutching their sides. After a moment, Harold joined in, laughing gaily.

Not quitting, Lily put the clove in her mouth and brought it out again with two fingers. She repeated the process twice more while the Potters' were watching and laughing with amusement.

"_Mmm._" Lily dramatically emphasized loudly, widening her eyes and ignoring the glares of other tables. "This is just _so_ good! I can't get _enough_ of it!"

All of the Potters', including Lily laughed hysterically, wheezing and clutching their sides.

"A-_hem._" The same waiter came up to the table, tapping his foot impatiently. Lily looked up and wiped her tearing eyes, trying to control her laughter.

"How-much?" Harold wheezed at the waiter, clutching his belly.

"Four Galleons and 7 Sickles." The waiter continued tapping his foot, holding out the palm of his hand.

Immediately, Lily straightened up and reached into her money bag. There wasn't much left. Peeking into it, Lily saw with dismay that she only had one Galleon and a couple of Knuts left. Feeling quite foolish and poor for the moment, she emptied the contents and gave it to Harold.

"Here's one Galleon and 8 Knuts. Sorry I don't have more." Lily grimaced inwardly, wishing she had asked her mother for more. On the outside, she bit her lower lip and put on an apologetic face.

Lily could feel James glance momentarily at his parents and quickly away, while Harold and Annabel exchanged knowing looks.

"Nonsense!" Annabel exclaimed, not noticing the casual hand thrown by Harold around her slim waist. "Think of it as our treat. Please."

"We've had so much fun today with you." Harold added, pushing away the pale hand. "So don't worry."

Reluctantly, Lily put the money slowly back in her money bag. "Thank you. I've had a wonderful time here."

By this time, the waiter had disappeared with the money Harold handed him, and the four stood from their seats, making their way out the (in Lily's eyes) golden-trimmed French doors.

Once again, Harold discreetly took out his wand, training it outside the restaurant. Before letting James and Lily through, he looked both ways. Finally, as James and Lily went out into the slightly harried streets of Diagon Alley, Annabel rounded the group up checking in front and behind her for reasons unknown to the children.

James couldn't believe his luck, eating lunch and spending the day with Lily. So naturally, he didn't notice the crowd's loud, urgent whispers.

Lily's ears were trained on the crowd, feeling strangely of the way everyone was walking. faster than before ...

"Run!" A high-pitched woman screams, but no one notices because of the loud talk. "_They're here!"_

And suddenly, _chaos_.

**Reviews are welcome!**


	8. Deadly Havoc

Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Harry Potter

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything of Harry Potter.**

A/N: This chapter is mainly going to be from Lily's point of view, sometimes switching to James.

P.S. So sorry for the confusion of this and the last chapter! I uploaded the wrong version and the wrong chapter at the same time ... sorry! Thanks to vodkaholic who pointed this out :.

**Chapter 4** - Deadly Havoc

_James couldn't believe his luck, eating lunch and spending the day with Lily. So naturally, he didn't notice the crowd's loud, urgent whispers. _

_Lily's ears were trained on the crowd, feeling strangely of the way everyone was walking. faster than before ... _

_"Run!" A high-pitched woman screams, but no one notices because of the loud talk. "_They're here!_"_

_And suddenly, _chaos_. _

"-_what_?"

These are the shouts and screams Lily hears, stuck in the middle of a running Diagon Alley. Pounding feet rush by her in all directions, shouting and giving instructions. In the midst of all this rush, Lily doesn't realize that she has backed up against James. Neither does he. She pulls her wand out in a rush, instantly reacting and striking a dueling pose. Annabel backs up just a bit, her straight, gray-streaked red hair glinting in the sunlight before scanning the crowd with odd blue eyes for the source. Harold doesn't back up at all, his soft hazel eyes hardening before becoming fierce and tightly gripping his wand.

Harold interrupts Lily's pleas, his posture hardening. "Stay close to each other! Annabel-"

Without a word, Annabel breaks off into a sprint with Harold, going the opposite direction of which most people ran.

"Don't worry." James and Lily speak together, each trying to smile and assure one another.

"You there, are wrong." A high, yet harsh cry fills the air, as if she is the only one shouting. Lily and James sharply look at this dark-cloaked woman, and only with repeated pangs does James realizes it is Bellatrix Lestrange.

"You are the _Mudblood_!" Bellatrix points a shaking finger at Lily, laughing freely. "Besmirching our wizarding history, befouling the world! You ought to be dead!"

"No, dear _Bella_," Lily starts, pointing a thin, mocking finger at the woman. "You ought to be dead! I'm surprised you aren't already from embarrassment of marrying your own _cousin_!"

Looking a bit shamefaced, Bellatrix turns to James, her fury growing. "You and your family could have been great! Instead you make friends with _Mudbloods_!"

"Yes? Well you see, the Potters' have _dignity_. We don't cower at the sight of _Voldemort_!" James retorted, pulling Lily back to his side.

"You dare speak his name? You _dare_ befoul the Dark Lord!" Bellatrix steps forward, ready to slap James. "How dare you?"

Hesitating for only a split moment, Bellatrix raises her left hand and makes a motion to slap James, hard across the cheekbone. Lily looks on with rapt attention-a good thing too, for Lily quickly stops Bellatrix from slapping James, by stopping her hand-all the while knowing that the two of them could be killed any moment.

"_You dare touch me, Mudblood?_" Bellatrix screamed, instantly recoiling and stepping back. After another tense moment, she steps forward again, towering over Lily. "_You dare-?_"

"Yes, I dare." Lily impatiently taps her foot, fake-smiling up at the angry face. "Is that all? I'd really love to stay and fight, but you see that I have to go do some shopping now."

Lily raises her wand to shout a spell, but Bellatrixsees her and raises her wand quicker, laughing as she speaks the unspeakable:

_Crucio._

Lily doesn't hear Bellatrix say the words, only sees her glossy red mouth move.She is rooted to the spot, unable to move or think, unable to breathe - and yet, she is squirming about in outspoken pain, her bones soring and her body heaving up and down.

"STOP! _Stop it!_" Lily's eyes are squeezed shut, still squirming and shouting on the ground in pain. Tears stream down her face; she had never felt such _pain_, such _torture_.

"STOP IT!" James shouts, brandishing his wand. He fires a couple of spells at Bellatrix, but a couple miss and a couple Bellatrix flicks away with her wand. "LET HER GO!"

Laughing, Bellatrix lowers her wand, as Lily slowly stops squirming. Immediately, James runs to her, and Lily gets up, sweat pouring down her face with wand in hand.

"Alright, Potty and Mudblood," Bellatrix begins, smiling devilishly and tapping her wand. "I'll give you one chance. One duel - both of you against me."

"Alright." Lily replies, her breath intake rapidly increasing.

In a flash, Bellatrix twirls her wand and brings it up and down, sending two black thorns hissing towards Lily and James. Lily ducks, and James steps aside as the two send gold Disarming spells.

"STUPEFY!" Bellatrix shouts, pointing her wand threateningly at Lily.

James makes a start to cover Lily, but relaxes when he realizes that she can take care of herself. _She doesn't need anyone._

"_Expelliarmus!_" Lily slashes her wand right after the gold sparks, and jabs it at Bellatrix, fury flashing in her increasingly bright eyes. "_Petrificus Totalus!_"

Bellatrix ducks, and both Lily and James see their chance to try the same spell. "_PETRIFICUS TOTALUS_!"

As the spell hit its frozen mark, the two children ran, looking for people to save and Death Eaters to stop.

"Going somewhere, children?" Two voices snidely appear on either side of Lily and James, and poke their wands into their necks.

"Yes, actually!" Lily says, pointing her wand at the dark cloaked figure discreetly. "_Eat Slugs_!"

"What-hey!" The dark cloaked figure kneels to the stone floor, shrieking while belching three slugs. "Ew-gross!"

The same cloaked figure tries to make her way across the street, away from Lily and the battling James and Death Eater. Lily impatiently taps her foot, and finds the same figure easily. She steps on the slim robe, un-enabling the woman to escape.

"Can't-you-just-let-me-go?" The woman shrieks in between slugs pouring out of her mouth.

"No can do, my dear." Lily says sweetly, leaning forward and flipping the skull mask away. Inside of herself, Lily shrieks, scared of what is going to happen to James while she is off playing a mind game. On the outside, Lily acts calm and collected, sweet while biting retort after retort. "Oh hello, _Cissy_. I see you've gotten yourself into a bit of trouble here."

"I hope you know that you're going to pay for this!" Narcissa spits, leaving a small foamy bubble behind. She hurls again, leaving two slimy brown slugs on her robes. "We're coming for you, Mudblood!"

"I don't think you're in much position for to say that, my dear." Lily fake-laughs, points her wand again at Narcissa. "_Locomotor Mortis_!"

Stepping back and shuddering at her handiwork, Lily runs back over to James, wanting to help him duel the other dark cloaked figure. She sees him suddenly back up after a rare scream of fright.

"Oh," The dark-cloaked figure coos in a deep voice. "_You're_ the one I've been wanting to meet. Causing trouble at Hogwarts, Mudblood?"

"Don't-" James starts forward, but Lily holds out a slim hand, stopping him from going forward.

"_I can take care of myself!'_" Lily quietly hisses, not taking her eyes off of the dark figure. She raises her voice, a slight smirk on her face. "Of course. You wouldn't think that I would keep quiet about all this, would I? _BELLEFLAMOS AZURES!_"

The cloaked figure bends to extinguish his robes, his mask falling off in the act. "You don't think that mere first year spells are going to defeat me, do you? Or are you just that inexperienced, Mudblood?"

"Oh! Why, _hello_ Lucius, how nice to see you! How's your life with your cousin, Narcissa?" Lily rambles on, putting her hand behind her back in an L form, trying to tell James to shoot the spell which would bind Lucius. "Did you know that she's currently belching slugs now? How un-_pureblood _like!"

"What-how _dare _you speak like that!" Lucius brandishes his wand, and Lily realizes that the time to duel would come soon. "You better watch out, Mudblood. You're next-"

"-After you, of course?" Lily shoots back, a smirk on her paling face. _Keep talking!_

"Never." Lucius calmly replies, though his face turns a slight greasy pink. "Have you forgotten that you will not last long? Or did I not show you that your first day in Diagon Alley?"

Lily took out her wand, making it twirl it almost absentmindedly-yet dangerously between her fingers. She suddenly looks up, rage apparent in her face. Her face flushes, as color floods back into her tanned-now pale skin. _I will not let him win!_

"I swear that I _will_ last longer than you. That, I can swear on my honor and dignity!" Lily shouts, stepping closer to Lucius. After a sudden childish thought, Lily kicks him hard in his crotch, pointing her wand threateningly at him.

"AAR-" Lucius starts to scream, but keeps the scream inside as he sees Potter and that Evans girl step closer, sudden grins and laughter spreading on their muddy faces.

Slashing their wands in identical movements, James and Lily shout a hex, much stronger that they had before. "_Ligare!_"

"Let me go!" Lucius yells, girl-like. His shout sends shivers up Lily's spine, and therefore she has no problem hexing Lucius with James. The two children, again, raise their wands high into the sky, and make a swishing movement away from them. "_Iacere_!"

"You-shall-pay! You will-" Lucius screams, rambling on and on as he is raised into the sky and shot across Diagon Alley.

_CRASH! _Lily cringes, hearing Lucius' body land on a building.

"Let's go! Run!" Lily pulls James with her, making James stumble clumsily behind her.

Thoughts run through Lily at an alarming rate as she frantically looks around her and dashes between sparks. _I wonder if-Is there any cheese anywhere?-Thoughts, thoughts, thoughts, stop these THOUGHTS!-Hogwarts doesn't have any warts...hahaha. Hogsmeade lalala...Who will I go with? What's the funny looking yellow light coming towards me? It looks so nice to touch..._

And so Lily blindly reaches out a tingling finger to touch it, feeling a bright yellow _zing! _in her flashing eyes. She stops dead in her tracks amongst all the tortured screaming, shouting, and heavy footfalls. And she feels a distinctly familiar feeling spreading in her body; complete calm tinkling down her throat. Yet it's not all calm, the ice cold impact of the spell.

She slowly falls to the distorted ground, her knees buckling first. A smile falls across her face as she gradually feels herself rise into the skies. Is she finally in heaven?

Something interrupts her, and all she remembers is James Harold Potter frantically prying a piece of brown candy into her struggling mouth.

And she feels so _different_, hears more screams and people tortured. She sees a girl her age falling to the ground, her shining red hair flailing in smoke in torture. Lily struggles harder against the screams, faintly realizing that girl is _her_.

All she can think is: _Don't fall! Don't show your weaknesses!_

She moans so _hard_, and all she wants is life. Somehow she feels as if her life is a failure, and decides to welcome Death.

Her life seems to flash before her, and she simply lets in the black, her eyes fluttering closed.

**--**

**A cliffhanger... Although not my best at all, I'm afraid. Please review! **


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